Man pleads guilty in 2 gun deaths

12-year term to be ordered

3/14/2012
BY ERICA BLAKE
BLADE STAFF WRITER

Within days of each other in early November, two Toledo men were gunned down inside their homes and robbed -- slayings that resulted in the arrest of six young men, aged 18 to 22.

In Lucas County Common Pleas Court Tuesday, one of the accused entered a plea for his role in the deaths of Darnell Townsend-Tall and Raynail Gaiter.

Kurt Finley, 19, of 220 E. Pearl St., pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and aggravated robbery, both with a one-year gun specification. He faces an agreed-upon 12-year prison term when sentenced May 1 by Judge Frederick McDonald.

In court, Finley recounted that he was driving with two co-defendants on Nov. 7 when it was decided to rob Townsend-Tall. Finley acknowledged having a 40-caliber gun when the three approached Townsend-Tall in front of his North Toledo home.

In response to questions from Assistant County Prosecutor Andy Lastra, Finley stated that Townsend-Tall was robbed of cash and shot -- twice in the head and once in the arm. Finley, who was under oath at the time he made a statement, said it was co-defendant Reynard Lewis who pulled the trigger.

The statement concerned one of two shooting deaths in which Finley admitted involvement.

On Nov. 10, Raynail Gaiter was shot in killed in his East Toledo apartment at 121 Ravine Park Village. A gun and drugs were stolen from him, Finley said.

Also charged in Townsend-Tall's death are Mr. Lewis, 20, of 3815 Revere Dr. and Darrick E. Newsome, 18, of 911 Alvison Rd.

Mr. Lewis and Mr. Newsome as well as Samojay Edwards, 19, of 1123 Noble St., Quandre Eugene Willingham, 22, of 1016 Baker St., and Kevin Arnold, 22, of 55 Poplar St. are each charged in Mr. Gaiter's death.

All of the co-defendants have upcoming court dates.

Judge McDonald noted during the plea that the fact that Finley was not the shooter and that he had cooperated with authorities were factors in his acceptance of the plea.

He acknowledged that a written agreement in place as part of the plea required Finley's continued cooperation.

Contact Erica Blake at: eblake@theblade.com or 419-213-2134.